Pudasjärvi Death Metal act with Black overtones although the band themselves are reluctant to label their brand of music "black". The group rose from the ashes of an early 90's act ANDROMEDA, which comprised Altti Verläinen on bass, Jarmo Puolakanaho on guitar, vocalist Mikko Komulainen, guitarist Olli Pekka Törrö and drummer Petri Sankula. ANDROMEDA folded after their rehearsal rooms burnt down but did manage a 1993 demo 'Beyond The Fantasy'.

By the following year Verläinen, Törrö and Puolakanaho founded ETERNAL TEARS OF SORROW bowing in with the tape 'The Seven Goddesses Of Frost'. The group was far from happy with the end result citing the facts that it had been recorded at school on a four track machine. Fortunately a follow up session 'Bard's Burial' secured a deal with the Swedish X-treme Records label. However, although the 'Sinner's Serenade' opus was laid down in 1996 it was to be September 1997 before its release.

The band switched to the Finnish Spinefarm concern for sophomore outing 'Vild Mánnu'. In 1999 Törrö decamped and new members Antti Talala on guitar, bassist / keyboard player Pasi Hiltula and erstwhile ANDROMEDA colleague drummer Petri Sankula were welcomed into the fold.

The 'Chaotic Beauty' album, which includes a cover of EDGE OF SANITY's 'Black Tears', was produced by Mikko Karmila featured backing vocals from SINERGY's Kimberley Goss.

Touring to promote the album resulted in the exit of Talala with Antti Kokko of KALMAH taking his position. ETERNAL TEARS OF SORROW members Altti Veteläinen, keyboard player Pasi Hiltula and drummer Petri Sankala also cite membership of KALMAH.

During March of 2002 the ETERNAL TEARS OF SORROW triumvirate of bassist Altti Veteläinen, guitarist Olli-Pekka Törrö and drummer Petri Sankala announced the formation of a Finnish 'Gothic Metal supergroup' dubbed FOR MY PAIN. Joining them in this endeavour would be guitarist Lauri Tuohimaa of EMBRAZE, keyboard player Tuomas Holopainen of NIGHTWISH and fronted by REFLECTION vocalist Juha Kylmänen.

ETERNAL TEARS OF SORROW folded in January of 2003. Members guitarist Antti Talala and drummer Reiska Pohjola re-united in Gothic Rock outfit SOULRELIC, assembled by SNAKEGOD and TECHNICAL JUSTICE keyboard player Jani Hölli and including Pekka Talala on bass guitar plus BLEAK CROWD singer Tommy Suomala.

The band bounced back in January 2005, announcing their reformation with a signature to Spinefarm Records and a new album 'Before The Bleeding Sun', recorded at Tico-Tico Studios in Kemi and at Note-On Studios in Kuopio. Newly included in the line-up would be the TAROT and VIRTUOCITY credited Janne Tolsa on keyboards and guitarist Risto Ruuth from Oulu's SCRYON. Guest studio vocals came courtesy of vocals by Jarmo Kylmänen of SCYRON, Miriam "Sfinx" RenvÃ¥g from RAM-ZET,Tony Kakko of SONATA ARCTICA and Marco Hietala of NIGHTWISH and TAROT. Antti Talala took on double duties, joining TO/DIE/FOR in June. ETERNAL TEARS OF SORROW finally mixed 'Before The Bleeding Sun' in February 2006, with Mikko Karmila at Finnvox Studios in Helsinki, setting a May release date. ''Before The Bleeding Sun' entered the national Finnish charts at number 26. In Japan the album emerged on the Avalon Marquee label in October.

For the first ETERNAL TEARS OF SORROW live concert in over six years, held December 31st 2006 at Club Teatria in Oulu, the band underwent a membership change. Drummer Petri Sankala suffered an ankle-related accident and was waiting an operation. His duties would be handled by Tuomo Laikari of RAUTAVAARA INC. Keyboard player Janne Tolsa, sidelined by his other act TAROT, was substituted by Veli-Matti Kananen.

Contracting a new deal with the Finnish label KHY Suomen Musiikki Oy, ETERNAL TEARS OF SORROW conducted recordings for single tracks at Tico-Tico Studio in Kemi in November 2008.

In early December the band revealed Petri Sankala had left the band, explaining that the drummer had suffered "back pain that hasn't allowed him to play drums 100% during the past two years". Juho Raappana, of IMPISH, CATAMENIA and MYTHOS, was introduced as replacement. 

'Tears Of Autumn Rain', the February 2009 single from ETERNAL TEARS OF SORROW, featured guest female vocals by by Miriam Renvåg of RAM-ZET and Heidi Parviainen from AMBERIAN DAWN. The band's sixth album 'Children Of The Dark Waters' emerged in May via Suomen Musiikki in Finland, Massacre Records for rest of Europe and Marquee/Avalon in Japan and Asia.